Carne Asada Tacos
These Carne Asada Tacos are smoky, citrusy, and dripping with flavor. Tender grilled steak, chopped fine and tucked into warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Simple. Bold. Irresistible. Once you make them this way, you’ll never go back.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 4 cloves garlic cut in half
- 1/2 medium white or yellow onion cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large orange, juice and zest about 1/2 cup
- 2-3 limes, juice about 1/3 cup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds flank steak or skirt steak
For the Tacos
- 16 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup white onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- Lime wedges for serving
- Optional toppings: sliced radishes sliced jalapeños, guacamole, pico de gallo, toasted red chile salsa.
Instructions
- Make the Marinade: In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, onion, cilantro, oil, orange juice and zest, lime juice, smoked paprika, salt, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured.
- Marinate the Steak: Place steak in a large baking dish or gallon-size zip-top bag. Pour marinade over steak and turn to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate 2–4 hours. Do not marinate longer than 8 hours or the texture will become mushy.
- Prepare for Grilling or cooking: Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season both sides with coarse salt and black pepper. Pan: Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Heat Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400–450°F). Grill with lid closed: Skirt steak: 3–4 minutes per side. Flank steak: 5–7 minutes per side. Cook until internal temperature reaches 130–135°F for medium-rare or 135–140°F for medium.
- Rest and Slice. Remove steak and rest 5–10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain, then chop into small bite-sized pieces for tacos.
- Warm Tortillas. Char tortillas directly over flame for 20–30 seconds per side or warm in a dry skillet until soft and lightly blistered.
- Assemble. Fill tortillas with chopped carne asada. Top with onion, cilantro, cotija, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dry the Steak: Always pat the steak dry before grilling so it sears instead of steams.
- Rest the Steak: Don’t skip resting time or you’ll lose the juices.
- Cut Correctly: Slice against the grain for melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Double the Batch: Leftovers make incredible burrito bowls.
Nutrition
Serving: 8g | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 734mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 462IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 4mg
